A New-Age Content-First Creative Studio
ANANNYA SENGUPTA’S ENDEAVOUR: CRAFTING STORIES THAT CAPTIVATE THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF MILLIONS — THE STORY OF AAJ MEDIA PRODUCTIONS
Filmmaking is both a business and an art. Over 2,000 films are made each year in more than 20 different languages in India, which is home to Bollywood and other thriving regional film industries. Even after someone has enjoyed a good movie once, it will likely still leave a lasting imprint on their mind. Additionally, there are organisations working hard behind the scenes to build this everlasting watch.
AAJ Media Production has its name etched as one of the few innovative media companies that paved the path for the rise of the entertainment industry and helped to shape it by fusing live-action and CGI. This beacon of creativity was forged in 2017 amidst Mumbai’s bustling streets. AAJ Media Productions is a gem born from the visionary mind of Anannya Sengupta, aka Jijo.
A CINEMATIC VISIONARY SHOWCASING THE POWER OF CREATIVE LEADERSHIP
The inspiring journey as a dedicated storyteller, a multifaceted artist, and a trailblazing filmmaker!
Every successful endeavour has a committed leader at its core. The Co-founder and Director of AAJMedia Productions, Jijo Sengupta embodies what a genuine creative leader should be as a prominent filmmaker, his artistic ability is global in scope. Jijo’s’s journey began focused on contributing to the entertainment industry with the power of storytelling. “I aspire to contribute to films where I create a sense that makes people not simply follow them for their own purposes but genuinely ponder about them”, quoted the leading man.
He is an alumnus of the Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, where he completed a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Films and Animation and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in New Media Interactive Development.
Jijo’s portfolio shines with a diverse array of creations. He is a true polymath whose abilities go beyond animation. His work with Illumination Entertainment as an animation intern on the well-known movie “The Minions” is just a small sample of his enormous flexibility. He wears many hats in the world of live-action filmmaking, switching between the director, actor, and composer positions with ease.
Jijo’s journey as an artist began astonishingly early, when, at the tender age of three, the seeds of his enthusiasm for animation first took root. He had already created his first animated masterpiece by the time he entered the seventh grade, which served as the starting point for his artistic career.
He experiments with a variety of artistic forms in addition to filmmaking, including songwriting, rap, and directing music videos. Among his musical undertakings, ‘The One,’ ‘Mastermind,’ ‘L.A.W.,’ and ‘Boca’ stand out and have each brought him recognition on a global scale.
Our whirlwind chat covered a lot, including his challenges and what makes him such an inspiration for determination and vision. Here are the edited excerpts of the articulate session with him:
CREATING AN IMPACT THROUGH DIVERSITY, DEPTH AND DRAMA
Evolving into one of the most renowned entertainment brands, AAJ Media Productions today wields the influence to shape the beliefs and values of both the future generation and the current audience in India.
The diversity, depth, and drama of global cinema are being incorporated into a new generation of storylines, storytelling experiments, and cinematic expression and treatment. The company provides distinctive entertainment services in the form of stories and movies. They perfectly blend Bollywood and Hollywood aesthetics in their style approach, which enriches the way your stories are presented.
They serve brands and people in addition to the entertainment industry. Every person and company has a distinct tale to tell, and Jijo and his team create those stories using their lens. They build a platform on which small businesses can compete online. They have honed their comprehension of the client’s vision and mission when delivering their experiences. As filmmakers, they not only capture their narratives through the camera, but they also capture the emotional aspects of their story. They integrate the intricacies of Hollywood and Bollywood by combining the rigor and grammar of traditional filmmaking with the sentiment and glitz of Bollywood. The “Holly-Bolly Way” was the term given to this style of movement. This makes it possible for them to deliver the stories, which are stylistically unique, in a way that is enriching.
SERVICE PORTFOLIO AND A DISTINCTIVE EDGE
AAJ Media is a company that specializes in everything “film.” There are studios that are only focused on live-action, animation, and editing. This brand’s specialization in every facet of the film that exists in this sector is what makes it stand out. They are experts in all forms of animation, including 2D and 3D, stop motion, lighting, composing, texturing, rendering, sound design and recording, cinematography, and VFX.
“Honestly, what sets us apart from our rivals isn’t even an edge; it’s an entire plateau. On film, practically anything is possible. That demonstrates how versatile my team is, the award-winning filmmaker said. “Today, my team will shoot live action; the following day, you might see them working on a VFX project; and the following day, they might be working on rendering or lighting”, Jijo revealed.
The team at AAJ Media Productions also takes an impactful approach, which further distinguishes and helps the company stand out. They combine passionate emotions and splendour with the distinct storytelling of Bollywood and the accuracy and discipline of Hollywood’s cinematic craftsmanship. This enables them to express their stories in a way that is stylistically unique and enriching.
TRACING THE ROOTS
Jijo’s career is a tapestry made of noteworthy successes and everlasting dedication behind the establishment. His incredible adventure started during his early years. He had an immense passion for movies, and this motivated him. He watched cartoons as a child and eagerly anticipated more. During those years, he came to understand the significance and immediacy of a story in each and every component. He was greatly moved by the idea of storytelling, and he cherished it. Fortunately, he got the opportunity to do his bachelor’s in new media and interactive development and his master’s in films and animation.
With the aim of contributing to the entertainment industry in his own country and at home, Jijo incorporated AAJ Media Productions. Every corner holds undiscovered gems of memories and stories. That is the area of whitespace that is not addressed by institutions. It’s all about AAJ here.
KEEPING THE QUALITY INTACT
AAJ Media offers services to a wide range of exciting and dynamic national and international clients in a variety of industries, such as telecom, hospitality, IT, and health. The company also provides individualized services to clients, such as executive coaching for several CEOs, helping them create profiles that are as powerful as their goals. They have story-crafting recipes for all.
To bring brands to life, the company’s multicultural and talented team of strategists, creative visionaries, and storytellers works together. Pre-production, production, and post-production are the three demanding stages of the filmmaking process that each project at AAJ Media goes through. The team makes sure to finish without sacrificing quality at any point as they meticulously refine their vision at each step. They thrive on getting great and enthusiastic feedback from their clients, which is the only thing that can make them happy.
BATTLING THE UNPRECEDENTED PANDEMIC
As the world grappled with the stormy tides of the COVID-19 pandemic, no sector remained untouched, including the media and entertainment industry, and AAJ Media is no exception. Despite certain disappointments and hopelessness, the team never lost sight of the bigger picture. Jijo’s love for crafting and telling good and heartfelt stories has always been their driving force. Even though the team was geographically separated at that time, the leader made sure to maintain communication with all of the team members by holding Zoom-enabled virtual meetings.
Jijo never allowed the idea to cross his mind during the pandemic when bigger businesses were laying off employees or withholding their wages. His team members are regarded as an extended family, demonstrating a deep appreciation and care for one another. They have seized numerous opportunities to foster mutual understanding and have engaged in a variety of team-building activities. During this time, they picked up new methods to arm themselves with updated knowledge and abilities.
NURTURING A SMART TEAM
The team at AAJ Media is super talented and caring, with the perfect balance of energy and work. An integral part of AAJ culture is ‘Work Hard and Play Hard’.
The aspiring business leader goes on to offer more insights into team building, saying, “At AAJ, I have always concentrated on the values that are fundamental to high-impact team development. First and foremost, the individuals I chose for my team had to be exceptionally talented in their respective fields. Second, I believe that what counts most is the nature of the people they are, as it is something that cannot be taught. They are already that way, but abilities can be learned. I need individuals who can relate to my energy, complement it, and encourage me to work harder when I’m feeling low.”
FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK
One of the most rewarding aspects of this journey is the opportunity to immerse myself in every facet of our venture. It has been an amazing educational experience that has given me insights into the workings of every department in a company. Working closely with my team has given me the opportunity to learn from a variety of viewpoints and comprehend how different people behave, think, and react in different circumstances. This exposure has significantly broadened my understanding of human behaviour.
Professionally speaking, this endeavour has helped me learn more about a variety of topics. The other thing that gives me greater satisfaction is imparting my expertise to my team so they can comprehend how I work. When my team embraces this knowledge and applies it to their advantage, I’m happy.
EMBRACING THE CULTURE OF INNOVATION
As artificial intelligence has evolved, many jobs that were once thought to take a long time can now be completed quickly and effectively. The creative team at AAJ Media Productions is always innovating and utilizing AI technology to cut 20 weeks of labour down to two weeks. They consistently innovate workflows, technologies, and procedures while upholding quality and using more intelligent methods.
After completing the creative phase and pre-production, which involved turning scripts into storyboards, the film industry is now producing new and exciting content faster by executing tedious chores more quickly.
At the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in 2023, AAJ Media’s most recent web series, “Ping Pong’d,” took home the ‘Best Asian Film’ Award. This accomplishment is a result of the extraordinary abilities and labour of the team and cast, who gave their all to make “Ping Pong’d” a reality. Their web series garnered nominations in several other categories too at the film festivals.
A GLIMPSE INTO A BOUNDLESS FUTURE
AAJ Media sets out on an ambitious path of creating four features, either two feature films or two web series, as part of its commitment to leveraging the advent of AI. Furthermore, they aspire to lead a revolutionary change in the media and entertainment sectors with AI. The start-up aims to upend the market by producing a large amount of material in a shorter amount of time while simultaneously maintaining a very high standard similar to a web series.
Building the AAJ Film Academy, a comprehensive hub for aspiring and young filmmakers, is the other primary objective. So, people who cannot afford to go to film or animation schools can now learn and develop their skills through his courses.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND MILESTONES TO CELEBRATE
Jijo’s focused vision, conviction, and leadership have led AAJ Media to secure multiple prestigious awards and achievements. His “I Am Arbor” short film poster was shown in Times Square, New York, during the Saheb Phalke Film Festival. The company has also been recognized globally with multiple prizes and nominations, including accolades from the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival 2018, the London Independent Film Prizes, the Paris Lift-Off Film Festival, and other events. Some of his music videos, like “The One,” “Mastermind,” and “L.A.W.”, have also garnered national attention. ‘The One’ notably triumphed at the L’age D’Or International Arthouse Film Festival, World Film Carnival, Singapore, among other prestigious honours.
In the 43rd monthly Cult Critic Movie Awards, L.A.W. took home the Best Music Video and Best Special Effects awards from the New Age Cinemas & Scripts Screening Festival. In the 2021 New York International Film Awards, the team also took home the Best Visual Effects award. While receiving prizes makes Jijo happy, what really intrigues him is how dedicated and enthused he is about the mission. This passion is fuelled even more by the recognition.
The AAJ Film Academy is set to steer creative people on a path from complete novices to skilled creators capable of producing their own films and making money from their work. Jijo’s ambition is to educate fundamental skills in a way that will enable students to transform their passion into a long-term career in an era where film school admissions are becoming more difficult. The inspirational leader explained,
We want to give them the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in this rapidly expanding and dynamic sector.
A PARTING MESSAGE FROM A VISIONARY
Jijo concludes by conveying a strong message to the aspiring entrepreneurs: “Cherish the present moment and the people who are significant to you. Keep your circle tight-knit and authentic. Work at what you enjoy doing and be passionate about it. Although I recognize the value of money, you should always look for your love and passion in all you do. Find the good in it, even when you despise it. Most importantly, always remember to take time to appreciate and enjoy the little things along the way. I wish you all the best.
